Finding the right tradespeople can be a real challenge. The most common complaints are around poor quality of work and a general lack of professionalism resulting in electrical problems and structural issues.

According to Ombudsman Services, a not-for-profit, privately run company, the "rogue trader" issue is exacerbated by the fact that six in 10 homeowners fail to check credentials before commissioning work.

Getting a personal recommendation from someone you trust is normally the best way of finding a reliable tradesperson. But if that doesn't work, where else can you go?

Many local authorities run their own "trusted trading schemes" with lists of plumbers, roofers, electricians and others who have all been strictly vetted by trading standards. You can use the postcode search at the Trading Standards website to find a scheme in your area.

Consumer organisation Which? operates Which? Local. Only Which? members can post reviews which are all verified for authenticity. Average price and job completion data are also included. The drawback? You have to join Which? to access the site at £1 for the first month and then £10.75 a month.

You can also use TrustMark to find tradespeople operating to government-endorsed standards. Again, enter your postcode, choose the type of trader and the database is searched within 50 miles.

TrustMark (consumer helpline 01344 630 804) is a not-for-profit organisation, licensed by government and supported by consumer protection groups. All firms carrying the TrustMark logo and featured on the website, are required to have their technical skills independently checked through regular on-site inspections.

There are also commercial directories which recommend tradespeople based on previous customer ratings. RatedPeople, founded in 2005, claims to be the UK's largest with more than 30,000 members, "where consumers can find and choose traders in their area based on what others have said".

Post your location and the job you want doing on the website, giving a clear description of what you need and how much you are willing to pay.

Up to three "recommended traders" who subscribe to the service can contact you with a quote. After the job is complete, you rate their work which adds to, or detracts from, their list of customer recommendations.

Trustatrader.com is another recommendation-based directory. Before contacting listed traders, you can access feedback, as well as online images of previous work.

But always remember, however you find a trader, always check their credentials. Even TrustMark, which, unlike many commercial directories, takes responsibility for the quality of work, warns: "Always check they are 'licensed' for all the trades/work you are asking them to carry out.

"This can be done on its website: search 'trade' then 'company name' and under 'more information' you will see 'only' the trades the firm is licensed for by TrustMark."

Also check qualifications to make sure the person is able to complete your job safely and at a high standard. All those dealing with jobs involving gas, for example, must, by law, be registered with Gas Safe, formerly known as CORGI.

Similarly, "Part P" regulations need to be complied with to carry out most electrical work. Use competentperson.co.uk to find a local electrician registered with a government-approved scheme showing they work to the UK national safety standard (BS 7671) and will give you a safety certificate to confirm this.

What steps to take

• Be specific and set out a detailed, clear brief when requesting quotes. Ideally, get three.

• Ask for a detailed, written quotation with start and finish times and agreed payment terms.

• Don't just go with the cheapest. Consider your ability to communicate with them and the quality of their work.

• Clarify, up front, whether the tradesman is VAT registered and whether you will be charged any VAT.

• Be wary of firms only willing to give you a mobile number. Use established firms – make sure they have an office address and landline number.

• Only pay for work that has been done, and not by advance payments. Where materials need to be bought in advance, it is reasonable for the trader to ask you to pay a fair percentage of these costs as the job progresses.

• Use a written contract – it offers protection if anything goes wrong. Agree stage and final payments before work starts.

• Set a penalty clause if doing extensive work – say, £500 a week – should the work overrun an agreed deadline.

• Secure a guarantee of their workmanship for a period. Make sure you have clarified what this is and that you have the relevant paperwork if you need to make a claim at a later stage.